Bharti Airtel to offer iPhone X on online store from Nov. 3

NEW DELHI: Airtel is bringing the iPhone X on its newly launched online store from November 3, as part of the device’s global launch next week, even as it beefs up its device offering for existing customers and new high value customers.

It’s not clear if the store will take pre-orders but Airtel is likely to offer some plans bundled with the iPhone X, sometime after it begins selling the phone on its site sources said. The company didn't comment as of Monday morning.

"A mad scramble for the device is expected amongst the die-hard iPhone loyalists in India. And given limited stocks of iPhone X available globally, the Airtel Online Store will be amongst the handful of platforms in India for the early birds to get their hands on the device," a senior executive said, asking not to be named.

The company declined to comment.

Airtel is pitting itself against Reliance Jio once again for gaining high value customers, after Jio recently introduced offers for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. The RIL telecom arm is offering assured buyback of 70% of the price of the device, if consumers recharge their plans with Rs 799 or above from Reliance Jio for a year.

On the online store, Airtel launched a plan which offers iPhone 7 at a down payment of Rs 7,777 and 24 monthly instalments of Rs 2,499, with a built-in postpaid connection offering unlimited calls and 30 GB data a month. Consumers will get options of purchase, finance schemes and plan activation on the website, and the phone will be home-delivered.

The market leader has said earlier that it will bring on board phones from more brands, packaged with affordable down payments, finance schemes and bundled tariffs. Sources aware of Airtel’s plans added that the company is likely to introduce mobile phone accessories, allied peripherals and products that will be complimentary to tariff plans.

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